1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention is directed to devices and methods for causing turbulent flow in a tank assembly, and more particularly to, devices associated with a tank's fluid inlet which create turbulent flow within the tank, a still more particularly to, devices for use with a tank assembly, such as a well tank, which include at least one vane elements that alters the direction of fluid flow entering the tank, so as to cause turbulent flow within the tank.
2. Description of the Related Art
Water systems that provide and distribute well water domestically in rural parts of the country typically include a pump to draw water from the well; pipes or other conduits through which water travels; and a tank for storing water, e.g., a well tank. Well tanks, e.g., expansion tanks, are structured and arranged to store water until demanded and to accommodate internal pressures of the system. To this end, well tanks typically provide an air cushion for the supply water.
Generally, the water chamber in the interior of the tank assembly that stores water is in fluid communication through a fitting with the pipes or conduits of the domestic water system. By design, the water chamber is structured and arranged to provide an operating pressure, e.g., about 20 to 40 pounds per square inch (“psi”), to the water system. To accomplish this, a compressible gas chamber contains a pressurized gas, e.g., nitrogen or, more preferably, air, that can force water through the water system and that, further, can prevent creation of negative or back pressures in the water system during the cyclical demand for water and/or volume changes associated with the change in water temperature. If the pressure in the water chamber falls below the operating pressure, the pump is activated and water is added to the water chamber of the expansion tank until the water chamber again provides the operating pressure.
In any closed system containing air and water that undergoes natural or artificial temperature changes, the likelihood of problems stemming from interaction of air and water is great. Air is soluble in water and water readily absorbs air. Without an air cushion, or, more specifically, air pressure to force water through the system, a pressure pump may be needed constantly. Optionally, an air surge chamber can be provided that is not in direct contact with the water, thereby eliminating the need of the pressure pump operating every time a faucet was turned on. Pressure pumps and surge chambers increase the cost of a water system.
To address these shortcomings, conventional expansion and well tanks (collectively “tank assemblies”) typically include impermeable diaphragms, or bladders, to separate the interior of the well tank into two chambers, or cells: a liquid, or water, chamber and a compressible, or pressurized, gas chamber. As water is pumped from a well into the tank assembly, the volume of the water in the water chamber increases, causing the diaphragm to contract the volume of the pressurized gas chamber. As the volume of the pressurized gas chamber decreases, the gas pressure in the pressurized gas chamber increases. As a result, when water for the tank is demanded by the water system, the gas in the pressurized gas chamber forces the water into the water system. Consequently, the volume of water in the water chamber decreases and the volume of the pressurized gas chamber increases. As a result, the pressure of the pressurized gas decreases.
Conventional diaphragms are constructed of a non-porous, elastic material, e.g., plastic or butyl rubber, and are sealed at the periphery or sidewall of the tank to provide an air- and watertight seal. Not only does use of a diaphragm avoid the above-described air-water problems, but, also, separation of water from the pressurized gas is desirable because water in the presence of oxygen produces oxidation that can damage metal or other portions of the system and, furthermore, can aerate the water, which can affect water quality.
An example of a conventional tank assembly is provided in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,925 to Lane, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. The Lane patent provides an expansion tank that includes a deformable diaphragm that divides the tank into two sections. The diaphragm separates the gas in the one section of the tank from the water in the other section of the tank and the rest of the system. The gas section is pre-charged with gas under pressure so that the diaphragm is displaced to increase or decrease the volume of this section according to the variations of the volume of water in the other section.
In certain well tank constructions, to provide some protection from corrosion, the inner surface of the liquid chamber portion of the metal expansion tank is covered by a water, or liquid impervious liner.
A disadvantage associated with conventional tank assemblies, such as the one disclosed in Lane, is that sediment builds up in the tank over time and ultimately degrades the tank. As noted above, water is pumped into the fluid cell of the tank from a well pump. In many parts of the country, the well water contains sediment. As shown in FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,925 to Lane, the water enters the tank through a fitting 130 vertically and in an axial direction. Over time, the sediment contained in the water settles to the bottom of the tank where it is undisturbed and remains for the life of the tank.
An additional problem encountered in some conventional tank assemblies is that pockets of stagnant water develop within the fluid cell, resulting in the water becoming stale.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a tank assembly that is capable of removing the sediment from within the water cell and preventing pockets of stagnant water from developing. Moreover, it would be desirable to provide a low-cost solution to the above-mentioned problems which can be easily adapted to existing tank designs without creating a significant pressure loss within the system.